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Monday, May 21, 2012

Introducing the Frida Fascinator!

Thank you all so much for your support and kind words about my hats! I'm happy to report that the final class went very well. I'll have more photos of each of the hats soon. The next class, Fabric Hat Construction, starts next week! I can't wait.

I have more exciting news for today, though. I'm selling one of my pieces! I call it the Frida Fascinator, and it's an item I've been developing for a couple months now. {Update: the first one sold--yay! I have more ready to go, so I've re-listed it here.) Since I started learning millinery, I've become enamored with making felt roses (see my tutorial here). And then I became enamored with the idea of turning them into a Frida Kahlo-inspired fascinator. My love for Ms. Kahlo is well-documented here, so I'll just leave it at that.

I fiddled with it for many weeks before I figured out how to make it successfully. The secret is a handmade fascinator base. I shape it out of wire and then cover it with felt, and then add an elastic to keep it on the head.

I must have been very influenced by the techniques of my couture millinery class, because I've insisted on making the whole thing by hand. (I tried gluing one of the early models, and, well . . . yuck.) I also looked into less expensive materials, but nothing compares to 100% wool felt. Anyway, here's where you can find it on etsy.

I hope you like it! I'm playing around with more rose accessories too. More to come!

There is a millenary shop next to the little sewing shop I freqent. I wandered in one day and she explained how she made her creations - which were fabulous. She showed me the wooden molds for she uses for shaping the felt into hats etc she had some really beautiful facinators too. Truly an artform.

Love it more than words can describe! I would seriously like to buy one, it's stunning! I'll continue to check Etsy for my chance to have one. Thank you Gretchen for being so inspirational and übercool!

This is sort of random and I had to tell someone as it just happened. I was on my phone, browsing around and I accidentally hit the Shaheen site bookmark, so I took in some eye candy, but as I clicked on a link in the sidebar, I noticed the licensing list looked different.. longer. Fabric, my friends. I can see it if I go back in my history, but when I go back to the site in a new tab, its gone. The partnership was with westminster fibers and free spirit fabrics, and it looks amazing. Just like that fascinator! Which is the topic here but I had to tell someone and I figured Gertie et all would appreciate or at least be able to assure me I am not insane. Anyone heard anything about this?